Man charged with DUI, accused of hitting flagger on Pittsburgh road

PITTSBURGH — A man is facing charges for allegedly driving drunk and hitting a flagger in a construction zone on a busy Pittsburgh road.

Derrell Cambell, a flagger for Supreme Traffic Control Serivce, is off the job and was in the hospital for about 24 hours after the crash.

"He saw a car coming so he was flagging him into the other lane and that car pretty much just kept coming," said Floyd Edwards, owner of Supreme Traffic Control Service.

Edward's crew was along Washington Boulevard at Allegheny River Boulevard when a driver hit one of the flaggers.

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"When he tried to get out the way, he kind of flew back across the street and he had two things in his hand and they flew everywhere. His helmet came off. It was a pretty ugly sight," Edwards said.

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Police said Brett Liberto crashed into an illuminated directional sign after he hit Cambell.

Police said they could smell alcohol on his breath. According to the criminal complaint, Liberto claimed "he called his friend as he was frantic and scared and his friend told him to have a drink to calm down."

According to the criminal complaint, "Liberto then stated that he took two shots of Fireball and threw the containers over the hillside."

After several tests, police determined Liberto had been drunk while he was driving.

"I just want everybody just to be empathetic towards my guys out there. They are human beings. They are trying to make a living for their self. They have to go to their family," Edwards said.

Edwards told Channel 11 this is the third time this year that one of his flaggers has been hit by a driver, even though the flaggers are in full uniforms and there are numerous warning signs.

"I tried to get out of the way, but it just happened so fast, in the blink of an eye," Derrell Cambell said.

He had just gotten out of the hospital Friday.

"It's hard for me to get up and down the steps," he said from a wheelchair. "I got three kids to feed. I definitely feel like I'll be a loss at an income."

Cox Media Group